Tesco executive director, corporate and legal affairs, Lucy Neville-Rolfe and BAA corporate and public affairs director Tom Kelly had been called to appear before the Commons public administration select committee in its ongoing inquiry into lobbying.

AstraZeneca chairman Chris Brinsmead was also due face the MPs during the same session on Thursday.

In a separate session, the MPs were due to quiz Greenpeace director John Sauven, Amnesty International UK campaigns director Tim Hancock and New Economics Foundation policy director Andrew Simms.